RZIM’s Continuing Operations Lack Transparency
Apparently, Ravi Zacharias International Ministries still exists three years after allegations rocked its operations.
After Ravi Zacharias’ death in 2020 and the subsequent investigation into sexual abuse allegations against him, Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) suspended fundraising and lost many of its speakers and leaders. 
Zacharias’ daughter Sarah (Davis) Phillips wrote in an email shared with MinistryWatch that RZIM planned to “transition to a grantmaking entity, much like a charitable foundation, which will support a variety of ministries, causes, and kingdom-building efforts. Specifically, we expect this new entity will make grants in two areas: furthering our original mission to preach the gospel through the questions of culture, and the prevention of and caring for victims of sexual abuse.”
Phillips resigned from her role as CEO of RZIM in October 2021 with plans to start a new organization. Eventually named Lighten Group, the ministry lasted less than a year before it announced its closure.
“[W]e believe God is leading us to prepare for shutting down the organization,” Lighten announced on Instagram. “This decision was not easy, but we seek to be good stewards of the time, money, and resources entrusted to us. Given our small team and the growing financial challenges that lie ahead, we believe this is the right decision and timing.”
So is RZIM now a grantmaking ministry? What has happened to the assets entrusted to RZIM?
MinistryWatch has looked into the continuing operations of RZIM and discovered it continues to exist, but with little transparency or accountability. RZIM still has a website, but no financial information or grant applications are posted there. It also has an operational phone system with a staff directory.
According to the Georgia Secretary of State’s website, RZIM filed its annual registration with the corporations division in 2023 for 2023 and 2024.
Peter Sorenson is listed as the RZIM registered agent and CEO. MinistryWatch attempted to reach Sorenson by phone and email multiple times to inquire about whether RZIM might be winding down its operations or continuing as a grantmaking ministry. We received no response.
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According to Council of Nonprofits, winding down a charity can be time-consuming and fairly involved, often requiring several months. But there is no indication it would take years.
A MinistryWatch search did not turn up any certificate or articles of dissolution of RZIM in Georgia.
A building owned since 2016 by RZIM was sold earlier this year to Free Chapel for $14.5 million. The 123,000-square-foot building on 10 acres is located at 3755 Mansell Road in Alpharetta.
According to a blog post by son Nathan Zacharias, a $45-million life insurance policy existed on Ravi Zacharias’ life and was payable to RZIM. In response to our inquiry, Zacharias said he had no contact with RZIM and could not provide any answers about their continuing operations.
RZIM’s membership with the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability was terminated in February 2021, finding that “ministry resources were improperly used in relation to sexual abuse and misconduct by the ministry’s late founder.”
The last informational Form 990 on file with the Internal Revenue Service was for 2016. In 2018, it was granted the status of a church and exempted from filing a Form 990. Neither does RZIM post any audited financial statements on its website. Either of these documents would provide transparency into the revenue and expenditures of RZIM.
MinistryWatch reached out to some former speakers and employees of RZIM to ask if they knew anything about grants given by the ministry.
Nathan Rittenhouse, a former speaker with RZIM and now the executive director of Thinking Out Loud, told MinistryWatch in an email, “I have not had any contact with RZIM for several years and don’t know anything about their current structure, leadership, or operations. [Thinking Out Loud] has not requested or received anything from RZIM.”
Abdu Murray, a former senior leader at RZIM, told MinistryWatch he has had no contact with the group since leaving in 2021. He did not respond to a specific question about whether he received any funding from RZIM for his new group, Embrace the Truth.
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